Citizenship..when to apply

[JandM]

I believe things get much more complicated if you had, say, a sub 240 day year earlier on, or halfway through your 5 year initial period.

I don't think it would actually be under any more difficult rules - only, working things out in the same way, the person's application would necessarily be longer delayed.

[Potato]

Actually that's a good idea. I'm happy for you, do keep us updated as you progress....All the best

Another useful note:

We're already aware that in your "fifth year" you can just wait until you hit 240 days and apply then, and not necessarily wait until your 5 year anniversary.
What I did not previously realise is that time prior to getting your residence permit appears to be counted in the same manner as time outside of New Zealand after gaining residence. Initially I thought it was crazy but thinking about it, it does make sense based on the wording of the residence requirements.
So you get even more flexibility in choosing your application date.

[ralf-nz]

Everytime I'm reading posts like this I'm just envious. NZ allows easily multiple citizenships but not my former home country - arghh!! For us it is generally NZ or the other - European - one...

[dharder]

Everytime I'm reading posts like this I'm just envious. NZ allows easily multiple citizenships but not my former home country - arghh!! For us it is generally NZ or the other - European - one...

But have you tried it?

I have very little interest in NZ citizenship, but am occasionally tempted to try just simply to see German bureaucracy grind to a perplexed halt because someone is applying for a third nationality...

I'd be anticipating weeks/months, even years of absurd entertainment out of that

Daniela

[newarrival]

It might be entertaining, but unfortunately it is costly, too...
Our children are going to apply, and I am reasonably confident that they will succeed. It seems that the whole process is aimed more at other nationalities, funnily enough European ones (the ones not in the EU) than at the expats in non- European countries.
I can't see the point for the fuss they are making, it seems to work well enough for a lot of other countries.

[dharder]

It might be entertaining, but unfortunately it is costly, too...

Has it gone up from the 265 euros that I paid back then?

Good luck to your children, Im sure it'll be fine.

Daniela

[Kanga]

So that's the general strategy. Split your travel so that it if it's a problem, you can spread it between different "application years".

<snip>
I believe things get much more complicated if you had, say, a sub 240 day year earlier on, or halfway through your 5 year initial period.

I was away for six months, so should be able to split it but alas my pattern of residence means that splitting the period of absence doesn't work due to the holidays either side- it would work if I'd come back to NZ two days earlier! I won't qualify for residence until sometime around Easter in 2014. I arrived here in January 2007. Luckily I'm not planning to scoot off anywhere so it's all academic

[ralf-nz]

But have you tried it?

Nah! I still have to come up with a brilliant idea what disadvantages I have not having the NZ citizenship.

[newarrival]

Ralf, can't you find a job you cannot apply for without having citizenship? For someone in the workforce it should be a lot easier than, say, for me......

[ralf-nz]

I came via SMC which percse is open for not citizens.

The only categories generally recognised are sports (All Blacks etc.), politics (to be elected member of council or more) or military (sorry!); you might have read my profile, so that is rather difficult to match.